One area of use of the present invention is with a photofinishing machine in the form of a photographic printer which automatically produces correctly exposed color prints from negative film. However, the system and method of the present invention can be used with any machine or process requiring a flexible, multi-tasking interface to a real-time control system. There is need for an effective solution to the difficulties in training support personnel for complex systems like a photographic printer. In providing a remote diagnosis and monitoring capability in such systems, a number of important factors must be considered. One is that the remote diagnosis and monitoring should not cause any change in the behavior of the system under test due to the source of the remote diagnosis and monitoring. Another is that the information from the system under test should be available for display on a real time basis at the location of the remote diagnosis and monitoring for effective analysis of rapidly changing operating parameters.